Sister M. David Narog [1918-2014]; Sister held respect of students in classroom

Sister M. David Narog, a former teacher and principal who was known for her knowledge of history and having the respect of her students, died Friday in Rosary Care Center, Sylvania, where she had lived since 2001. She was 95.

The cause of death was not known. Sister Elizabeth Zielinski said she had developed some dementia in her later years.

“She was always active and took care of herself,” she said. “In the last few years she went downhill. She would get anxious and agitated because she couldn’t do the things she used to be able to do.”

From 1967 to 1974, Sister David taught history at Cardinal Stritch High School in Oregon.

Sister Jane Mary Sorosiak said she was an excellent instructor in the subject.

She said she joined Sister David on a Washington trip with her students. She recalled that a security guard in the National Archives complimented Sister David on the group’s interest in the documents on display.

“Sister was stately and very soft spoken. She could command attention without raising her voice. She had excellent discipline in her classes,” Sister Jane Mary said. “I think the students respected her knowledge. She was very good.”

Sister David was born on April 25, 1918, in Minneapolis. She entered the order of Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania in 1932 and professed her final vows in August, 1941. She earned a bachelor degrees in arts and sciences in education from Mary Manse College and obtained her master’s degree in history from the University of Detroit.

She began her career as an educator at Catholic elementary schools in Michigan and Ohio. She then went into the high schools, teaching history, religion, economics, ethics, and humanities.

In addition to Cardinal Stritch, she was on the teaching staff at St. Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Mich.

She left the classroom to become a principal at grade schools in Ohio and Michigan, including St. Clare Academy in Sylvania.

Sister Elizabeth was a teacher at St. Peter and Paul School in Dearborn where Sister David was a principal during the 1970s.

“I found her very easy to work with. She was very organized, very efficient, and very supportive of myself and the other teachers. She was always grateful for everything you did. She treated you with dignity,” she said.

Sister David also worked as a parish minister in Ohio and Minnesota and spent her last working years in administration for the Sylvania Franciscan community; five years as department clerk at Lourdes University and six years in the sister’s business office.

Suriviving is her sister, Kasimira Sikora.

Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday with a welcoming home ceremony in Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel at the Sylvania Franciscans’ motherhouse, where a funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. Friday.

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